tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1616743751559129574.post7707976200913737235..comments2023-04-17T07:48:42.702-07:00Comments on Palin's Q&A + fun: USA Today identifies Sarah Palin's Culpability in Tucson Massacresnowbillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05051178069918189714noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1616743751559129574.post-88332963368853209982011-01-11T07:28:49.840-08:002011-01-11T07:28:49.840-08:00Usually, to find Palin news at Google News, one mu...Usually, to find Palin news at Google News, one must type <i>palin</i> into the search box. Today, "<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/10/AR2011011006653.html" rel="nofollow">Palin caught in crosshairs map controversy after Tucson shootings</a>" is on the front page.<br /><br />The article describes how Sarah Palin got herself into this pickle and concludes with:<br /><br /><i>Palin allies point to language and imagery used by some critics on the left as evidence of a double standard. But John Weaver, a GOP strategist, said Palin is being held to a different standard precisely because she may have presidential aspirations.<br /><br />"You can't put the actions of this insane person on her doorstep or anyone's doorstep," he said in Palin's defense. But, he added, "having said that, there's a difference between how people judge the conduct of a blogger and a political leader or someone who may want to run for president of the United States."</i><br /><br />An indication of how far behind the curve many are is the article's quote of Politico's Jonathan Martin, who wrote that Palin would now have to decide "whether she wants to be Ronald Reagan or Rush Limbaugh." Sarah Palin hasn't that choice anymore, if she ever had it.Joie Vouethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10728012555935899755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1616743751559129574.post-17587139209305241162011-01-10T18:11:53.363-08:002011-01-10T18:11:53.363-08:00Another thing about metaphor: Many of them are dea...Another thing about metaphor: Many of them are dead, that is, they've lost their original meaning. Perhaps "target" is one of them, but the use of rifle sights brings the metaphor back to life, so to speak, and "deeply disturbed people" particularly, mentioned in USA Today's editorial, may take things too literally, with tragic consequences, as we've seen.Joie Vouethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10728012555935899755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1616743751559129574.post-67837693332657182032011-01-10T17:05:15.877-08:002011-01-10T17:05:15.877-08:00Sarah Palin has been operating as though it's ...Sarah Palin has been operating as though it's normal for political discourse to occur at the level of the discourse read in internet forums and heard on talk radio. That isn't normal. Yelling the loudest and striving to have the last word doesn't foster meaningful discussion of the issues.Joie Vouethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10728012555935899755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1616743751559129574.post-5745737010950889462011-01-10T16:54:30.287-08:002011-01-10T16:54:30.287-08:00By the way, that is Andrew Sullivan printing somet...By the way, that is Andrew Sullivan printing something written by one of his readers.<br /><br />***<br /><br />Another thing about metaphor: Someone in marketing may say something like, "We need to target Boston." But it would be surprising to see a map drawn-up with a rifle sight over Boston. The word is being used in the sense of setting a goal to, say, increase sales in Boston.<br /><br />Rather than resort to incendiary rhetoric and images, why couldn't SarahPac just state its differences with Giffords on various issues? Our marketeer, after "targeting" Boston, would go public with a campaign to persuade Bostonians that his product is better than the competitor's, not with rifle sights.Joie Vouethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10728012555935899755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1616743751559129574.post-53215898493643434262011-01-10T15:31:27.321-08:002011-01-10T15:31:27.321-08:00O>w/hole>1, here is a clickable link to what...O>w/hole>1, here is a <a href="http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2011/01/the-denial-deepens.html" rel="nofollow">clickable link</a> to what Andrew Sullivan wrote.<br /><br />I disagree with Sullivan's view that Palin could have saved herself by claiming that "targeting is a political metaphor." Among staff it may be, but never from candidates, who are presumed to be leaders.Joie Vouethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10728012555935899755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1616743751559129574.post-70566855064299833042011-01-10T14:37:50.045-08:002011-01-10T14:37:50.045-08:00> The end came at the ohnosecond Mansour uttere...> The end came at the ohnosecond Mansour uttered "surveyor's symbol".<br /><br />Ditto: http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2011/01/the-denial-deepens.html<br /><br />Two words: Eddie. Haskell.0>w/hole>1https://www.blogger.com/profile/01673799035904063207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1616743751559129574.post-63136149624413183282011-01-10T14:10:42.810-08:002011-01-10T14:10:42.810-08:00> It's probably already too late for any re...> It's probably already too late for any response from Palin to make a difference.<br /><br />The end came at the ohnosecond Mansour uttered "surveyor's symbol". It was cowardly, it was childish, it was vile, it was transparent, it was beyond stupid.<br /><br />And it was utterly, utterly representative.0>w/hole>1https://www.blogger.com/profile/01673799035904063207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1616743751559129574.post-13592684394108365712011-01-10T12:52:10.275-08:002011-01-10T12:52:10.275-08:00That this appeared in USA Today is indicative of t...That this appeared in USA Today is indicative of the stakes for Sarah Palin.<br /><br />Yahoo! news is featuring: "<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20110110/ts_yblog_theticket/giffords-tragedy-could-be-a-defining-moment-for-palin" rel="nofollow">Giffords tragedy could be a defining moment for Palin</a>," which mentions that whether Palin is to blame has been dominating the debate at Facebook.<br /><br />It's probably already too late for any response from Palin to make a difference.Joie Vouethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10728012555935899755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1616743751559129574.post-48293861975874425222011-01-10T11:29:19.931-08:002011-01-10T11:29:19.931-08:00What kills me is that the USA Today editorial'...What kills me is that the USA Today editorial's sentiment is not obvious, and even needs to be said.<br /><br />There's a line from The Postman by David Brin along the lines of "Who will watch over these children now?" I feel that way about the irresponsibles over t'Fox and the GOP. Mean little children playing with matches and swinging cats by their tails, acting all surprised when the cat claws them up and the house burns down.0>w/hole>1https://www.blogger.com/profile/01673799035904063207noreply@blogger.com